By: Laurie Silvey, Associate Vice President Business Services
Hollingworth Candies got its start in humble beginnings in Homer Township, IL (now Homer Glen) in 1982. “My mother, Margaret Carlson, and her neighbor started cooking toffee on her kitchen stove,” says Wendy Carver, owner of the Lockport, IL business. “She used a home recipe she had found in the Chicago Tribune. A man was closing his business and put a home recipe for toffee into the paper.”
They started with cooking toffee in one pan on the stove, adding another, then four all at once,” Wendy recalls. “She had retired from nursing and was already sewing Raggedy Ann Dolls to sell at craft fairs for a little extra money and decided to also sell the toffee.”
The first craft fair they participated in, trying to sell their pecan toffee was not very successful for them. “There were no samples to taste,” Wendy says. “The sales were very few. They decided to give out samples after that and the sales grew and grew. My mom would always say, ‘no sample, no sale!’
Their first commercial kitchen and storefront opened in Lockport soon thereafter. “We moved three times as the business has grown, but have always stayed in Lockport,” Wendy says. “We have strong support from the customers and city officials and it’s a wonderful historic city.”
Hollingworth Candies specializes in handcrafting their toffees and chocolate candies. After retiring, Margaret’s husband, Chester joined her in cooking the toffees and brittles. The business remains in the family, with Wendy joining the business as the commercial storefront opened in 1993. Wendy’s daughter, Sarah joined Margaret and Wendy in 2016. “We are a three generation family and women owned and operated business,” Wendy says “And without the wonderful employees through the years, we wouldn’t have made it this far.”
In 2020, Hollingworth Candies was honored to be designated an “Illinois Maker” through the Illinois Department of Tourism.
Hollingworth Candies has been a member of the Illinois Chamber for just a short time, but Wendy and Sarah have found it to be a wonderful resource for running the business. “I’ve attended seminars and purchased employment law books,” Wendy says. “I’ve also received great advice on certain personnel issues through the attorneys who assist chamber members.”
Hollingworth Candies’ selections have grown from their original toffees, but the mission remains the same: to provide high quality candies and excellent customer service. And, they still provide samples and find that’s the best way to sell their toffees around the country.
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